2. Learning Opportunities

Programs must assure that students have ample opportunities to achieve defined learning outcomes. Curriculum maps graphically depictwhich courses address particular student learning outcomes for a specific program. Curriculum maps are a rich source of information; for example, they help programs identify student learning outcomes that are not being addressed, highlight courses that are not connected to any particular student learning outcome and/or determine course assignments that could be used as an embedded assessment, such as capstone course assignments.

3. Assessment

Assessment of student learning is deciding what we want our students to learn and making sure they learn it. Understanding the difference between the types of evidence derived from assessment is necessary in order to develop the most appropriate assessment to measure your program's Student Learning Outcomes, and is the focus of the video Understanding Direct and Indirect Assessment.

Rubrics

Rubrics are scoring guides that list the expectations or criteria to evaluate an assignment. Rubrics help ensure that assignments are graded consistently across students within the same course or across various courses with the same or different instructors. Generally, rubrics provide students with more specific feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses of the assignment.

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has assembled a series of peer developed and reviewed Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubrics.

Surveys

Nationally and locally constructed surveys are effective ways to measure students' experiences, perceptions and engagement with the university. Nationally constructed survey instruments, such as the NSSE, often include norm groups for institutional comparison and have established reliability, validity and external credibility; whereas, locally constructed surveys can be developed to more precisely fit institutional goals and information needs.

Portfolios

Portfolios offer students the opportunity to showcase and reflect on a collection of their work for a defined period of time, which provides faculty a way to assess courses or programs in deeper, more meaningful ways. Typical portfolios include artifacts (Ex: papers, audio/video recordings, artwork, digital projects) as well asreflections on the artifacts and overall experience in the course/program. Portfolios are valuable assessment tools because they assemble direct evidence of student learning, show student growth over time and demonstrate how knowledge/skills learned in different courses intersect to build the intended program outcomes. Portfolios, however, are time intensive both for the student constructing the portfolio and the faculty/staff assessing the portfolio. Portfolios compiled over the span of a degree should include portfolio “checks” along with a final review.

Other Tools

There are many other tools that can be used as either direct or indirect measures of student learning.

Direct Measures:

Practicum, internship or other field placement

Clinical evaluations

Student work in a capstone course

Final paper, thesis or dissertation

Licensure or Board Exam

Locally developed test or exam

Juried show, performance or critique

Oral presentation

Design project

Group project or demonstration

Journals or other reflective writing

Discussion boards

Research projects

Indirect Measures:

Surveys (see above)

Retention rate

GPA

Graduation rate

Job placement

Post graduate admission

Board scores

Records of publications or research activity

4. Using Results

Understanding and using assessment to improve teaching and learning is the ultimate goal of assessment. The video below includes information on how to use assessment results for program improvement.

Knowing your audience is critical in assessment planning. What are you being asked to do? Who will be using the results? Who will be interested in the results? Campus audiences might include: program faculty, faculty in affiliated programs, institutional leaders and/or program administrators and staff. Public audiences include prospective students and their families, employers and policy makers, among others.

Assessment can point to needed improvements. Does the curriculum address each learning goal? Are we using appropriate methods of instruction? Are courses taken in the proper sequence? Do students have the necessary foundation built in pre-requisites for advanced courses? Are there gaps in coverage? Can you improve the learning goals? Are there too many goals? Do the goals need to be clarified? Are the goals inappropriate or overly ambitious?

Consider the need to improve assessments. Are the assessments poorly written or misinterpreted? Does the type of assessment match the learning goals? Are the assessments too easy or difficult? Are the benefits of the assessment worth the resources invested?

Additional Resources

Middle States Standards

Temple University is proud to be accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Temple uses the MSCHE standards as guides for optimal growth as the university strives toward future successes that will be even greater than Temple's celebrated present accomplishments.

Center for the Advancement of Teaching

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching promotes the value and practice of excellent teaching, teaching that facilitates student learning and growth. They also provide opportunities for faculty and TAs to reflect on their work, and to share, and learn, from the experience and expertise of their colleagues. By supporting faculty in their work as teachers, their aim is to support the success of Temple's student body and the development of Temple students as scholars and citizens.